I entered the lobby fifteen minutes later where I was supposed to meet the group heading to the Hemmingway Home. There were muffins, Danishes, and juice waiting on a courtesy table for the milling group. I made a beeline to the table, grabbing two muffins and juice. My stomach growled in appreciation.
Scanning the back of the lobby, since that was where Lion Security would be, I spotted them. They were like a blob of black paint against all the light and airy colors in the lobby. I mean seriously people, it was going to be over a hundred degrees today and they were wearing all black. Yes, some wore shorts and t-shirts, but the only one wearing any color was Ember—from the red skulls on her shirt. But this was Key West! Live a little.
Daniil stood next to his only daughter, Eva—who was staring at me with hostility. He wore a pair of wide legged black linen pants that were rolled casually at the bottom, black flip-flops, and a black and silver island shirt with short sleeves that button down the front. It had an open V-neck neck, showing his muscular chest. A pair of black shades sat on top of his head, pulling his hair back from his face. He looked damn good.
He followed Eva’s gaze, his eyebrows together after staring at her face. His perusal stopped when his eyes landed on me, and his eyes went to my hair first—come on!—and then down my frame, quickly hooding.Hmm.Guess I had chosen a decent outfit.
Deciding to take my chances—since Daniil and I weren’t public (too many enemies on his side)—I headed their way, finishing off one of the muffins and tossing the wrapper before beginning on the other one. It was strawberry. My favorite. Sipping on my drink, I went up to my nemesis. “Morning, Ember. You’re looking refreshed this morning. Sleep well?”
She had scowled for a second before Brent and Cole looked her way, quickly altering her expression to remote coolness. “Yes, fine. Thank you for asking, Elizabeth.” She glanced around, discerning how most of Daniil’s children were watching me with not-so-friendly expressions. “How did you sleep? I didn’t hear you come in last night.”
Bitch. “Fine.” I shouldn’t have baited her in the first place. Daniil’s kids were still in hate mode after finding out about us last night. “Thank you for asking.”
Daniil’s lips were twitching, and he quickly looked away and began speaking to Carl and Anna. Grigori, on the other hand, was decidedly blank faced, although he was staring at both Ember and me. I went to nibble at my muffin, but it had a large chunk taken out of it.
What?
Glancing to my right, Ember munched on a piece of strawberry muffin, holding it delicately between her fingers.
Oh. My. Shit-fuck-hate-her. “I’m hungry! Get your own!”
A few of her colleagues were chuckling, watching us. Again. Snooping damn group.
The sad thing was I kind of fit right in being a reporter.
“Mmm,” she murmured. “It’s good.”
“I know that—” I stopped abruptly.
My head cocked. I listened…and slowly froze.
Growing up, there are certain noises you become accustomed to—like the ringing of a bell in high school. You know when you hear it you need to get to class. Or the sound of a whistle blowing in a swimming pool. When you hear that, you know to look at the lifeguards and hope they didn’t just catch you doing something wrong. Or, in my father’s case, it was his feet. When you heard my father’s stomping footfalls, you knew you were in trouble and you needed to straighten up, shut up, and take the ass chewing he was about to give.
And…listening…those same clicking footfalls were on the tile behind me.
It couldn’t be. There was no way. I had ignored his and my mother’s calls. I hadn’t known what to say to them, so I now had thirty-eight missed phone calls on my cell. And just as many messages on my voicemail I hadn’t bothered to listen to.
Perhaps I should have answered just one.
My face drained of color and my vision blurred.
I didn’t want to look back.
I reviewed that thought.
No. Curiosity wasn’t even strong enough in this reporter.
I said a small prayer that I was hallucinating.
“Christ,” Ember muttered, staring as her eyebrows formed a harsh line. “Maybe I shouldn’t have taken your food. You look like you’re going to faint.” She stilled. “Are you diabetic or something?”
The group went silent, staring at me.
Daniil’s gaze snapped in my direction, probably at the actualworryin Ember’s tone. His eyes darted over my features, and he literally started moving toward me…but then, I heard it.
My father’s voice. Moving closer. He shouted, “Elizabeth! Is that you?”
Daniil halted, and his gaze snapped toward my father, his eyes narrowing.
